It's Not All Roses

Chapter 13

I'm looking in the mirror while I'll slip on my yellow cardigan over my black dress. I wasn't going to wear a dress to the funeral, but I thought why not, my grandpa always used to tell me that dresses make a lady or whatever you want to call it. I hear a knock on my bedroom door and walk over to it, swinging it open. Hero stands there in blue ripped up skinny jeans with a white button down shirt. I can clearly see all his tattoos, just not in detail.

"Hey," he says while scratching the back of his neck. "I was just seeing how you were holding up?"

"I'm okay, just finishing up here."

I notice him looking me up and down before landing back on my face, "You sure, its normal to let your emotions show on days like this."

I turn and walk back to my vanity, where I sit to curl my hair. In reality I hate that this is happening, but I refuse to let people see me like this. "I'm fine. I am just trying to stay strong for my mom."

He walks inside and sits on the edge of my bed. "I understand love, but it's okay. He was your grandfather."

My thoughts are all sorts of up and down today. I bet this is how Kiya feels every single day, with her bipolar. She told me once its like riding a really tall rollercoaster. Your highs are extremely high and your lows are incoming fast, and tend to make your stomach drop. I feel this way because of Sam and Nick showing up, and god knows if Ellison gets a hold of either one of them, it will be a repeat, if not worse, from the barn party a few summers ago. I swear she was going to kill Sam.

Oh, and the fact that I literally fell asleep on Tiffin's chest kind of makes me feel insane as well.

"Hero, I know. I am upset about it, please believe me, I just want my mom first before me, okay?" My voice sounds tired and snappy.  "Sorry," I mumble.

"It's okay. I get it. I just want you to know I am here for you today if you need me," he smiles at me in the mirror.

"Thank you, I'm just going to finish getting ready."

He nods before standing up. "I'll be in the living room."

After Hero is out of the room, I'm on my last curl when my phone starts ringing. I grab my phone and look at the ID. Tommyboy! ⚽️

"Hey Tom, whats up?" I ask after answering.

"Yo Mae! I was coming by your dorm to check up on you and get our regular coffee, and I don't know what is taking you so long."

Fuck, I didn't tell them about my quick escape yesterday. "I'm not on campus today."

"Why? Where are you? I don't mean to pry, but I'm just curious."

"I'm in Sulphur Rock," I whisper. There is nothing but silence on the other end until I hear him sigh. "My grandpa died a couple nights ago, today is the funeral."

"Why didn't you just tell us? You have to know we understand."

"I do Tom. I just didn't want to feel like a burden to you guys."

I hear an Irish accent in the background. "Hey Holland, have you heard from Tiffin? We can't find him and Kiya has been really worried."

Shit.

"Tom, tell them Hero is with me."

"What the fuck?"  Niall asks, which makes me assume I'm on speakerphone. "Is that why he was in such a god damn rush yesterday?"
"He came with me because my grandfather died, I only came home for the funeral."

That's when I hear my best friend step in, she sounds tired, irritated and as if someone hit her with a train, "Can you just be honest with us next time Mae? Like it's not big deal, stop keeping secrets from us. We would have all been there for you."